After plowing through the edge of an engineered material arresting system (EMAS) pad and stopping in the grass off the right side of the runway, both pilots immediately discussed how the incident would end their careers. They agreed that they should have performed a go-around. They contacted the flight attendants to check on the cabin approximately 1 min. later.
Factual data published June 1 by the NTSB on showed that the chartered Eastern Airlines Boeing 737-700, with the first officer at the controls, was higher than normal. It had a 10 kt. tailwind at the conclusion of the approach to Runway 22 in heavy rain. According to flight data recorder (FDR) information, the aircraft’s main landing gear touched down at a ground speed of 130 kt. at a distance of 4,242 ft. beyond the threshold of the 7,001 ft.-long runway, leaving less than 3,000 ft. for stopping.
Both pilots immediately used maximum manual braking, deployed the speed brakes and commanded reverse thrust. An analysis of FDR data showed deceleration forces of 0.5g, indicating that the aircraft was not sliding.
Seeing the end of the runway approaching, the captain used the rudder to steer the aircraft into the grass off the right side of the runway, apparently unaware that the runway has an EMAS at the end for overruns. The first officer told investigators he was aware of the EMAS and tried to keep the aircraft on the centerline. The aircraft stopped 7,180 ft. beyond the threshold and 114 ft. off the right side of the runway, according to the NTSB.
The incident, which caused no injuries to the nine crew members and 39 passengers, and only minor damage to the aircraft, was not uncommon in relation to recent accident trends. According to the most recent safety report issued by the IATA, runway and taxiway excursions are the single most prevalent contributor to airline crashes.
Over the five-year period from 2012–16, the IATA said excursions accounted for more than 20% of all accidents, with 83% taking place in the landing phases of a flight. In 2016, runway and taxiway excursions accounted for 19% of all 65 accidents recorded.
Along with Eastern Airlines training and standard operating procedures—which called for touching down within the first 2,300 ft. of Runway 22 at LaGuardia—investigators will also be looking into cockpit resource management and human factors aspects, including whether there was pressure for the pilots to land at LaGuardia.
Excerpts from the cockpit voice recorder (CVR) transcripts showed that while the pilots did perform the required checklists, they were engaged in nonrelevant conversations below 10,000 ft., breaking the “sterile cockpit” best practice of staying focused on landing duties during the final portions of a flight.
As the aircraft descended below 8,000 ft., the first officer stated: “I hope @ doesn’t call us asking how lon—how much longer.” Both pilots laughed in response. (The NTSB uses the “@” symbol to denote a “non-pertinent” word.) The pilots soon had another nonrelevant conversation, presumably about the flight attendants, as flaps were being deployed in preparation for landing.
After the excursion, the first officer stated, “Should have go[ne] around.” The captain used the public-address system to announce, “Stay seated, stay seated,” and said to the first officer, “My career just ended.” Both pilots then agreed that they should have performed a go-around.
After shutting down the engines and starting the auxiliary power unit, the pilots opened the cockpit door to provide an assessment of the situation to a Secret Service agent.
“Nice. Nice job,” the agent said, after being briefed.
“Huh,” the captain replied.
“Nice job,” the agent said. “You stopped it, at least.”